Eemanenna by Adhil Panoor

Not every song from Eemanenna lingers, but Eemanenna is the one that stays. Credit goes to Musadhique Tanur for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

The voice of Adhil Panoor carries Eemanenna effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Eemanenna a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

By the end of 2020, Eemanenna had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. Listeners have described the experience of Eemanenna differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 4:31 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. The track stands as evidence that Adhil Panoor and Musadhique Tanur, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.